In Brief... Church Leaders Sign Manhattan Declaration
Citing conscience issues with several social trends, 145 religious leaders have signed what they call the Manhattan Declaration, saying they will not cooperate with laws that could be used to compel their groups to participate in or support abortions, same-sex relationships or stem cell research.
"We pledge to each other, and to our fellow believers, that no power on earth, be it cultural or political, will intimidate us into silence or acquiescence," it says.
A mixture of evangelical, Catholic and Orthodox leaders signed the document, which is aimed at stirring support for what they call the three most important social issues facing American society today. It appears to be an effort to rally Christian support at a time when the historic religious foundation of American culture appears to be cracking. The so-called Moral Majority of the past has been disbanded, shattered by the very political system it sought to enter. The culture wars have made significant inroads into the moral and ethical behavior of Americans. Is this the last stronghold of conservatism against the postmodern culture?
The document says, "We will not comply with any edict that purports to compel our institutions to participate in abortions, embryo-destructive research, assisted suicide and euthanasia, or any other anti-life act; nor will we bend to any rule purporting to force us to bless immoral sexual partnerships, treat them as marriages or the equivalent."
An Article from:
World News and Prophecy: December 2009
Course Content
Darris McNeely
Darris McNeely works at the United Church of God home office in Cincinnati, Ohio. He and his wife, Debbie, have served in the ministry for more than 43 years. They have two sons, who are both married, and four grandchildren. Darris is the Associate Media Producer for the Church. He also is a resident faculty member at the Ambassador Bible Center teaching Acts, Fundamentals of Belief and World News and Prophecy. He enjoys hunting, travel and reading and spending time with his grandchildren.
Donald Hooser
Don Hooser is a minister for the United Church of God. He lives in McKinney, Texas, a suburb of Dallas. He and his wife Elsie had three children, and she died in August 2020. Don married Judy in January 2022. Mr. Hooser graduated in 1963 from Southern Methodist University with a degree in mechanical engineering, and graduated in 1966 from Ambassador College, Big Sandy, Texas. For most of the time since then, he served as the pastor of churches in Ohio, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, and Washington. From 2011 until his retirement in 2021, his primary responsibility was answering the many letters written to the Church.
